In The Lonely Hour
by Aspect of the Rainbow
Summary: Regina reaches a crisis point in her marriage. A Swan Queen short story inspired by Sam Smith's album 'In the Lonely Hour'. Each chapter is inspired by a different song from his album, the title of the chapter sharing the title of the song. I don't own OUaT or the rights to Sam Smith's works.
1. Not the Only One

**A/N Sorry about the formatting on this one. I copy and pasted the first part from another program and could not for the life of me get the two formats to match... drove me crazy! I eventually gave up. ENJOY!**

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She sat at the dinner table alone, for the third time this week. She decided  
to try something different tonight, though. She started cooking a little  
later, knowing he would most likely come home late. Dinner was currently  
staying warm in the oven.

She wore a simple robe, underneath was a set of lingerie that he used to  
love on her. They hadn't been intimate in weeks and it hasn't been romantic  
in years. She always assumed it was because of their hectic schedules. With  
both of them being successful lawyers, they were constantly working.

She always had dinner on the table whenever she could. On days that she  
worked late, she had something ordered and sent to him. On days that only  
he worked late, she would bring him dinner herself. That was until he asked  
her to stop. He said she didn't need to go through the extra work for him.  
She didn't think much of it then.

She was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of the front door. She got up quickly to greet him at the door.

"Daniel." she greeted with a hopeful smile.

"Hey, babe." he replied. He pulled her into a brief embrace and kissed her forehead.

"I cooked" she blurted out, not really knowing what to say.

"You didn't have to do that, babe. I would have been fine." He replied kindly. He had yet to remove his shoes and coat, as he headed to their bedroom. Regina followed.

"I know. I was just hoping we could spend the evening together. We have both been so busy lately." She had stopped in the doorway and watched him rummage through the closet.

"Yeah, this has been one hell of a case we got stuck with. Shouldn't be much longer before we reach a settlement, though." He pulled out a different blazer and switched it out for the one he hand worn to work.

"Are you going out?" she asked, still watching him from the doorway.

"Uh, yea. I told some of the guys from work that I would meet them for some drinks tonight. Sorry, I figured you would be at Kathryn's." He spoke as he placed his other blazer in a pile for dry cleaning.

"Well, I really wanted to spend the evening with you. I made your favorite for dinner and I pulled out one of your favorite outfits..." She opened her robe as she approached his sitting form on the bed. He was in the middle of switching out his shoes when she stepped in front of him.

He looked up and took in the sight of Regina in a black two piece lingerie set. He leaned in and kissed her belly through the split of her baby doll top. She smiled softly at the gesture and ran her fingers through his hair.

"I was hoping we could talk and make love. Can you just stay home tonight? Please?" Daniel sighed.

"I can really use the drink tonight, babe. I won't be out all night." He started to head out of the room, Regina on his heels.

"We keep a stocked bar, Daniel. You can have your drink here. I really wanted to talk to you. You can go out with the boys another night." You could hear the irritation in her voice, even though she tried to remain calm.

"Well if you had mentioned your plans to me this morning, there would be no problem. I'm not canceling my plans, just because you all of a sudden want to send time together." He was making his way to the door.

"That is bullshit and you know it! I am not the one out with "the boys" almost every night of the goddamn week!" She couldn't help the raise in her voice. At this Daniel held the door open and turned to her.

"I'm not arguing about this tonight, babe. I'll be back later." He turned to leave.

"Regina!" She practically screamed out of anger.

"What?" He turned back to her, confused.

"My name is Regina. I thought I would remind you, since I can't even remember the last time you used it." She crossed her arms across her chest and glared at him.

"What is your point, Regina?" he asked. He was a smart man, he knew what she was getting at. Regina took a deep breath and looked away for a moment before she returned her gaze to her husband. She didn't say a word. He sighed.

"Look, I'll be back later. I'm sure whatever you wanted to talk about can wait til tomorrow." And with that he walked out the door. Regina released the breath she had been holding.

"I'm pregnant." She spoke to an empty room, one tear falling down her cheek.

_You say I'm crazy, cause you don't think I know what you've done_

_But when you call me baby, I know I'm not the only one_

_\- Sam Smith_


	2. Make It to Me

The next day had come and gone. That night, Regina had put the food away and went to bed early. She had really wanted a drink after her interaction with her husband, but she decided against it. It didn't feel right, no matter how early in her pregnancy she was. He had come in late that night and slid into bed quietly beside her. The next morning, he was gone before she woke.

She had no idea where he could have run off to so early on a Saturday. She told herself that it was to get in extra hours on the case he was working. She went about her day as she had planned. Laundry, a little cleaning and some research for work. When the evening rolled around, she had given up on expecting him to come home. She needed to get out.

"Hey Hun. What's up?" Kathryn answered her phone.

"Go out with me tonight" was all Regina said.

"Okay. Be ready in an hour. I'll come get you." Kathryn didn't need to ask any questions. She already knew what was going on with her best friend. Both women got ready to go and she was at Regina's house right on time.

"Did you tell him?" Kathryn broke the silence on the drive to the bar.

"No." Regina kept her replies short, but polite.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Kat tried again.

"No." Regina shook her head lightly and stared out of the window.

"Okay. How about somewhere different tonight. Somewhere nobody knows us?" the blonde asked.

"Sounds good."

The Rabbit Hole definitely wasn't their usual scene. Both women took the room in with interest on their way to the bar. It was slightly crowded, but not overly so. It looked decent enough to stay for a few drinks. The moment they sat down, they were approached by one of the bartenders. She was tall, thin, had long dark hair with a red streak on the side. Kat ordered a simple rum and coke, while Regina declined any drinks for now.

They sat in a comfortable silence until Kathryn was approached and asked to dance. She looked to Regina, who gave her a small smile and nodded. Regina didn't mind if Kat had a little fun. She needed to get out of that house, she just didn't want to be out alone. She turned back to the counter when she heard a glass being placed next to her. She looked at the shot in confusion before she looked up to the pair of green eyes looking at her.

"I didn't order that" was all the brunette said.

"It's on the house." Green eyes smiled softly at her before moving to help another patron.

"Thank you." Regina said quietly. She continued to eye the shot. It wasn't that she wanted it. It was just currently something for her to stare at as she was once again lost to her thoughts. She didn't know, nor did she really care, how much time had passed.

"It must be bad." Green eyes had returned and pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Excuse me?" Regina questioned.

"A woman like you coming to a place like this to get away... It must be bad." the bartender replied. Regina took in the woman before her. She had lovely green eyes, wavy golden blonde hair, and an athletic, yet feminine build.

"You know nothing about me." She replied as her eyes traveled back to the shot glass.

"I'm sure I could guess a few things." The blonde smiled

"Like what?" Regina could have and normally would have told this woman where she could stick her assumptions, but at the moment she welcomed the distraction from her thoughts. This time the bartender took in the brunette in front of her. She was generally good at reading people.

"Well... You're successful and driven. I would guess a career in law or politics. You went to a good college, graduated top of your class. Fell in love, probably while in college, and married shortly after. Things are a bit rocky at home, which sucks considering you...are pregnant..." Regina's eyes widened slightly at the blonde's last statement. How could she possible guess that?

"You gathered all that just from a glance?" Regina replied skeptically.

"You can learn a lot about a person just from watching them." The blonde spoke confidently.

"So you were watching me?" Regina cocked a brow, causing the other woman to blush slightly.

"Yes, well, watching people is kind of a habit that develops the longer you bar tend." she replied as she began to make another drink. Regina hummed and stared at the shot glass once again before asking another question.

"How did you know I was pregnant?" She kept her eyes on the shot.

"Despite looking like you could really use a drink, you haven't touched your shot. I figured either you were in AA or you were pregnant... The latter seemed more feasible." She finished and traded Regina the new drink for her shot. Regina eyed the new drink questioningly.

"It's virgin. Here's to things getting better." The blonde raised the shot to the brunette before knocking it back. She winked at Regina before walking off to return to work.

"Cheers." Regina whispered to herself before taking a sip of her drink. It was good. Kathryn returned to her side shortly afterwards. Regina nursed her drink and listened to her best friend talk about this new guy, Fredrick. They hung out for about another hour, just chatting about nothing important. In the back of her mind, she wondered if the blonde bartender was still watching her. She didn't dare turn to check though. Not until she was heading out of the bar behind Kat. She gave a final look back at the bar, brown eyes locking almost instantly with green.

"You have been watching her all night, Em." The brunette bartender stood next to her coworker and friend.

"Yeah" was all Emma said as she watched the other women leave.

"So you noticed the ring on her finger..." It wasn't a question.

"Yes, Rubes. I noticed the ring." Emma sighed. She still hoped to see the brunette again.

_You're the one designed for me_

_A distance stranger that I will complete_

_I know you're out there, it's meant to be_

_So keep your head up and make it to me_


	3. Latch

It had been two weeks since that night at the bar. She still hadn't mentioned the pregnancy to him. She didn't want to deal with her emotions. So she buried herself in her work and successfully distracted herself from her feelings towards Daniel. The Monday following her night out, she had received a text from him. It told her he would be there in twenty minutes and for her to wear the outfit he gave her the night prior.

She knew the text wasn't meant for her. Surprisingly, having the proof in her hands, didn't hurt as much as she thought it would. She had a feeling that he realized his mistake. He was acting extra cautious around her the next day. She couldn't deal with it, so she went on as if she never saw the message. The idea that he wasn't caught seemed to relax him.

She had spoken to Kat many times of course. She sought her advice on whether it was right for her to keep the pregnancy from him, despite the growing distance between them. She agreed that he had a right to know, but she felt that this shouldn't be what keeps them together. She still loved him and wanted to try to get through to him again. She just wanted to be sure that they were staying for the right reason.

And then, there were those green eyes that she seemed to be picturing more and more lately. She didn't know what it was about the blonde, but she attributed it to her loneliness seeking attention. For that reason, she refrained from giving in and visiting the bar again. However, after two weeks of focusing on nothing but work, she was getting a little stir crazy. She knew Kat was on a date with Fredrick tonight, so she opted for something else that always calmed her.

She decided to drive to the beach for an evening stroll. Once she was close to the sand, she removed her heels and took in the feeling of the sand between her toes. She loved the beach. She didn't care much for it when it was crowded, but in the evening when it was near empty, it was a great escape.

She had walked about a quarter mile when she saw a jogger coming in her direction. Not really in the mood for pleasantries, she took to watching the waves glide over her feet as the jogger passed by. Her plans were quickly spoiled, however, by the sound of a familiar voice.

"Nice night for a stroll... Or a jog." The runner was slightly out of breath. Regina whipped her head around and couldn't believe her luck. For a moment, she just stood there looking into those green eyes, unable to speak.

"And...You don't remember me..." the blonde stated with a slight disappointment in her voice. Regina finally shook herself out of it.

"Um, yes... Of course. The bartender." Emma sighed in relief at this and smiled.

"Emma." She officially introduced herself.

"Regina." She introduced herself as well.

"Regina... I like it." Emma continued to smile at the brunette. "So, do you come here often?" She winced at how much it sounded like a cheesy pick-up line. "For walks, I mean." She tried to recover. "It's just, I live a couple houses down from here and I would've remembered seeing you before. Then again, I usually take my runs in the morning and I am totally rambling... Sorry." Regina smiled at the sheepish look on the blonde's face.

"No, I don't get the chance to come as often as I would like." Regina replied. Emma nodded at the response.

"Well, I was actually on my way back to the house for dinner. Would you like to join me?" Emma noticed the way Regina shifted uncomfortably. "Just a friendly dinner. Not a date or anything. I mean, I find you very attractive, obviously, but I know you're going through a lot right now and I would never take advantage of that. I just thought, maybe I could do something nice for you, maybe put a smile on your face. You have a beautiful smile... Which I'm sure you already knew that. So, yea, I'm just gonna stop talking now..." Emma finally took a breath, hoping her cheeks weren't as flushed as they felt.

"Sure." Regina replied against her better judgment.

"Yeah?" Emma asked. Regina nodded. She found the blonde's awkwardness adorable.

"Okay. Let's go then." Emma grabbed Regina's shoes and led the way down the beach to her home.

Emma told her to make herself at home while she took a quick shower. When she came back out, she found Regina making herself at home in the kitchen. She stood in the doorway and watched the brunette work as if she had been cooking here for years.

"I was supposed to be cooking for you..." Emma said. Regina jumped slightly.

"Sorry, I hope you don't mind. I actually love to cook and you did admit to having no idea of what to make." Regina explained as she started prepping ingredients on the counter.

"True, but I was supposed to be doing something nice for you." Emma pouted adorably.

"Having someone around to cook for, would be a very nice change. You could help me." Regina offered.

"I guess." Emma sighed dramatically.

"Good, you can cut the potatoes for me." she instructed with a smile. "And put that lip away before I bite it." The words were out of her mouth before she had a chance to stop herself.

"Is that a promise?" Emma teased back playfully, pout still in place. Before she knew it, Regina stepped to her and, true to her word, claimed her lip between her teeth. Emma gasped as the teeth were used to pull her lip in between plump red ones. She groaned when the brunette beauty began to suck on her lower lip. She couldn't resist any longer. She leaned in further to claim those beautiful lips. Regina moaned and allowed Emma to deepen the kiss. They broke apart when they needed air.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that." Regina was trying to process what had just happened. She gave in to temptation way too easily. "I should go..." She began to walk out of the kitchen.

"Don't." Emma gently grabbed Regina's hand to stop her. "Please stay. I meant what I said. I don't want to take advantage of you and I won't take that as an invitation to try to go further. You call the shots." Emma bit her lip as she waited for Regina to respond.

"I should really stay away from you." Regina replied softly, still a bit out of breath from that amazing kiss. Emma smiled.

"Okay, then we'll stay on opposite sides of the kitchen, eat on opposite sides of the table, and sit on opposite sides of the couch when we watch a movie later. Regina chuckled softly and returned to her spot in the kitchen.

The plan worked flawlessly, until it was time to watch a movie. Regina picked a side of the couch and sat down while Emma popped in a movie. Emma sat down on the opposite side and the separation lasted for about five minutes before Regina made her way across the couch and curled into the blonde.

"I just...miss being able to do this." Regina explained.

"Okay." Emma nodded her understanding. She wrapped her arm around the brunette and sometime later during the movie, they both fell asleep curled up on the couch together.

_Now I've got you in my space_

_I won't let go of you_

_Got you shackled in my embrace_

_I'm latching onto you_


	4. La la la

When she woke up, she immediately became aware of the soft body beneath her. Without really thinking, her hand began to explore, moving gently across a soft breast. The intimacy of their position began to sink in. She was now half draped over the blonde and it felt comfortable enough to worry her. Emma moaned softly and stirred beneath her.

Her body seemed to be working against her mind. In her head, she knew she should leave, possibly even get out before Emma woke. Instead she slid further onto the soft body, moving up slightly, and brought their lips together in a gentle kiss. The blonde beauty responded almost instantly. Emma sighed and kissed Regina back, one hand moving to the brunette's waist.

What started as soft and gentle, quickly became heated. Regina missed this. She missed the feeling of passion that Emma seemed to provide so easily. She didn't want to stop, her body didn't want to stop. Until...

"Oh no!" Regina was up and out of the room before Emma even knew what happened.

"Regina!" she called after the fleeing woman, afraid that she had done something to upset her. She wanted Regina, but she didn't want to push her into a situation that she couldn't handle. She was pulled out of her thoughts by a familiar sound. Morning sickness. Half relieved and half concerned, Emma rushed to the bathroom to check on Regina.

"I'm sorry. This started a few days ago. I completely forgot." Regina sat on the bathroom floor, leaning against the counter next to the toilet.

"Don't be. It's normal in most pregnancies." She grabbed a few items from under the sink and set them on the counter. She took a damp wash cloth and knelt down in front of Regina. She wiped her faced and watched as Regina closed her eyes and relaxed.

"Are you hungry?" Emma asked.

"I won't be able to keep anything down." Regina shook her head. "I should head home." Emma nodded her understanding.

"There's a spare tooth brush on the counter, if you want it." Emma stood up and was about to leave the bathroom. She felt a soft hand take hold of hers and looked back down to her guest.

"Thank you..." Regina spoke softly. Emma knew she was being thanked for more than just a tooth brush.

"Anytime." She replied with a soft smile and a gentle squeeze to Regina's hand.

She didn't expect to see his car when she pulled into the driveway. Great, the one night she decides to go out and sleep in someone else arms, he decides to stay home. After pulling into the garage, she went into the house and headed to the kitchen for a bottle of water. The house was strangely quiet. She went to their bedroom. He wasn't home after all.

She decided to take a quick shower and to get on with her day. She found the shower to be soothing and she feel her nausea subsiding. She wrapped herself in a towel and went to her closet to pick out her clothes for the day. She had begun her normal routine on lotion, make-up and hair and was sliding on a pair of heels when she heard a car door outside. She moved the curtain slightly to get a look at who it was. Daniel stepped out of the driver's side of a car she didn't recognize. Then she saw the slim, attractive brunette exit the passenger side.

She stopped breathing as she watched the scene unfold. He stood at the driver's door and waited for her to make her way around the vehicle. Regina released an unsteady breath. The other woman stopped in front of Daniel to give him a lingering kiss. He kissed her back, she got in the car and she drove away. Regina was in somewhat of a shock. She knew he was seeing someone else, but to have her suspicions confirmed by her own eyes was slightly more than she could handle. She tried her hardest to keep herself together. She wasn't weak and emotional, like she was feeling right now. Maybe it was the hormones. Maybe she was just reaching her breaking point.

She was sitting at the breakfast table with a glass of water when he came in. He walked into the kitchen and seemed to be oblivious to her presence. He was leaning over and looking into the fridge when she spoke. And scared the crap out of him.

"Where were you?" She asked.

"Shit, Regina" he took a moment to calm his breathing. "You were out, so I went over to Victor's. He was pretty hungover. Deborah brought me home." He explained as he poured himself a glass of lemonade.

"Mmm... You should have invited her in for coffee. I haven't chatted with her in ages. I've been meaning to call and see how the boys are doing." she replied casually. "Was that a new car she was driving?" she questioned further. Daniel faltered for a moment but recovered quickly.

"You know, I didn't think to ask. I assumed it was a rental." he replied. She sat there and watched him for a moment. He stood at the counter and nonchalantly flipped through a magazine.

"How is the White case coming along? Any closer to a settlement?" she changed the subject.

"No. Funny thing is, I don't think they actually want a divorce. I think it has more to do with the surprise marriage and Leopold not finding a farmer good enough for his little girl." he shook his head.

"Been there... David may only be a Sheppard, but he is a good man." She actually felt bad for the couple. They weren't too far off from Daniel and herself. A young girl raised with money and status falling for the local farmer's boy. David appeared to be more of a Prince Charming though.

"He is... We have been trying to give them as much time as we can to figure something out, but Mr. White is constantly on our backs about it" he continued.

"Well, at least you and Phillip were able to relax last night." She watched him carefully.

"Mmmm... It was much needed. Did you have a good time with Kathryn?" He asked as he continued to flip the pages.

"Daniel..." He looked up when he heard the tone of her voice and saw the look of annoyance on her face.

"What?" he asked.

"I thought you were with Victor last night." she stared at him, daring him to keep lying to her.

"I was."

"Are you sure? Because the last time I checked, neither of them were are attractive brunette woman... and both their wives are blonde." She decided to put it out there. Daniel stiffened slightly and looked up at her. For a second she thought she saw panic in his eyes.

"Look, Regina. It's not what you think. Camille just started working for the firm this week. We set up a meeting over breakfast to go over her job." He continued to lie, and Regina's temper was rising with each new line he spat. "I didn't want to say anything about her because of the way you have been acting lately" he finished.

"The way I have been acting?" She raised her voice and stood up to move closer to the counter. 'How exactly have I been acting, Daniel?" She was definitely reaching a breaking point.

"You've been letting your imagination run wild with ideas of me cheating on you..." he was cut off.

"Oh, so you mean I _imagined_ that kiss in front of our house not 30 minutes ago?!" She was yelling. Daniel froze.

"Regina, I didn't know she was going to..." cut off again.

"STOP!" she yelled and hand up her hand to effectively silence him. "Do not say another word. You have been telling me lie after lie for months. You have been lying to me from the second you walked through that door and I swear if I hear another fucking lie from you, I will divorce your ass and take you for everything you have!" She furiously grabbed her keys and purse and headed for the garage door.

"Regina!" he called after her.

"Don't fucking speak to me!" She slammed the door and left.

_I'm covering my ears like a kid_

_When your words mean nothing, I go la la la_

_I'm turning up the volume when you speak_

_Cause if my heart can't stop it, I'll find a way to block it_


	5. Nirvana

What the hell was she doing here? She wasn't this person. She had stormed away from Daniel in a fit of rage, she was letting her emotions take control of her. Any other day she would have run to her best friend, but instead she was standing at a certain blonde's front door, debating on whether she should knock. What was wrong with her?

She kept telling herself she shouldn't be here. It was like a mantra going off in her head, but she couldn't bring herself to leave. Maybe this is what she needed. The type of comfort she craved. Kat was amazing and always willing to listen or just sit together in a comfortable silence. Regina didn't want to talk about things. Silence was welcome, but she didn't need distance. She just wanted to be held, to feel important, and to feel wanted. She was lost within the war raging in her head and didn't hear the foot steps behind her.

"Hey." The voice spoke softly and she felt a gentle touch on her shoulder. Regina literally jumped out of her thoughts and turned to see her current cause of confusion.

"Emma, hi." She took a moment to compose herself. "I'm sorry...to just show up like this. I would have called, but I don't have your number..." she trailed off.

"No, it's fine. I mean, anyone else I probably would have some less than pleasant words for, but I definitely don't mind seeing you again." Emma smiled. Regina blushed and looked to the ground while pushing a piece of stray hair behind her ear.

"I couldn't stay home. I had to get out of there..." She paused. "I'm not even sure why I came here... I just... I should just go." She moved to step around the blonde, but was stopped by an arm around her waist.

"Stay... Please." Emma requested. "We don't have to talk or do anything. We can watch another movie and I can hold you and we can just relax. Whatever you want" she finished. Regina looked up at her.

"If you insist." Regina easily caved, knowing deep down she wanted exactly that. Emma moved to unlock her door and smiled at Regina's response. She knew Regina just needed that small amount of cherishing and she couldn't find herself able to say no to the brunette, even if she wanted to.

"I, uh, just got back from the gym. I'm gonna take a quick shower, 10 minutes tops, and then I am all yours." Emma spoke as she walked backwards towards her room.

"Okay." Regina nodded.

She went into the kitchen to get a glass of water, but realized she wasn't really thirsty. Instead she started to peek around a bit, noting that she was definitely getting hungry. During her mental catalog of all the not too healthy snacks throughout the pantry, she heard the shower come one. Her mind was suddenly on an image of Emma naked under the stream of water.

To say she wasn't turned on would be a lie. She bit her lip and stepped out of the kitchen and peered down the hall towards the blonde's room. She wasn't sure when it happened, but at some point, he brain seem to shut down and her subconscious took over. She slowly made her way towards the running water. She removed her clothing piece by piece as she made her way down the hall, dropping each piece to the floor.

When she entered the room she was in her bra, underwear and heels. She removed her heels and walked into the bathroom. She could see the blonde's blurred body through the frosted shower door. She removed her bra and underwear as she watched Emma tilt her head back into the water. She walked to the shower, placing her hand on the sliding door. She waited a moment and Emma brought her head back down, immediately noticing the new arrival.

She placed her hand on the glass, matching up with Regina's, but didn't speak. Regina slid the door open. As she stepped in to the shower, she took in the beautiful body in front of her. Her hands moved to the toned stomach, slid their way up across soft breasts and latched around Emma's neck, pulling her in for a kiss.

Emma's mind was blown from the moment she realized Regina was on the other side of the shower door. She had hoped that they would be able to share a few more kisses, but this... This she never saw coming. Part of her wanted to stop and keep Regina from doing something she might regret. The other part of her wanted to skip the foreplay and take her against the shower wall.

"Regina..." Emma had pulled back from the heated kiss to look into brown eyes.

"Whatever I want, right?" Regina spoke near a whisper. Emma nodded. "I want this. I want you..." She trailed off as she began to kiss down Emma's neck causing the blonde to moan.

Emma knew this was a bad idea. Regina was married and the future between her and her husband wasn't written in stone. But, the only way she could stop herself now, was if Regina asked her too. It was just sex. That was what Emma had to keep reminding herself. She had to remember that Regina just needed something from her and that she was more than willing to give it. She understood the situation perfectly and she just needed to remember her role in things.

Emma's hand shot directly to Regina's waist, squeezing gently and then moving to her backside. She gave a firm squeeze eliciting a moan from the other woman. Emma then moved to grab hold of soft thighs and lifted Regina up against the shower wall. Regina winced slightly when her skin touched the cold wall. She removed her lips from Emma's neck and looked into green eyes. Both chests heaving and both eyes filled with want. She tangled her hands in blonde hair and crashed their lips back together.

"Touch me." Regina breathed against kissed swollen lips.

Emma released one of the soft thighs and moved her hand between their bodies. She used her weight to keep Regina up against the wall. She broke the kiss and began trailing her lips and tongue down the tanned jawline. She began stroking her fingers through slick folds.

Regina gasped and her head flew back against the wall. She gripped Emma's shoulder with one hand and a fist of silky blonde hair in the other. It felt so good. Emma's body, her hands, her lips, her fingers. It all felt amazing.

"Inside." She gasped.

Emma complied easily sliding two fingers deep into her. She wanted to give Regina everything she needed in that moment. She made her thrusts paced and firm as she bent down slightly to take a firm nipple into her mouth. Regina whimpered, her body reacting easily to Emma's ministrations.

As Emma worked her body, Regina forgot about Daniel and his lies, she forgot about the other woman. She allowed herself to be in this moment, to be with this woman. She felt wanted, cherished and nothing else mattered. She just let go. Over the next two hours, she let go of everything inside Emma's bedroom.

_This moment has caused a reaction_

_Resulting in a reattachment_

_Oh, you take me to Nirvana_

_I don't think this will last_

_But you're here in my arms_


	6. Stay With Me

**A/N Just a side note that I will be a bit busy this week, but will try to get the chapters out as soon as I can. I had A reader mention that they wouldn't mind if the chapters were longer. My intent with this story was to keep it short, each chapter simply focusing on interactions and moments that impacted the story. So I had no plans on making it longer, however, it appears that the final 4ish chapters will be longer than all the earlier ones. So I hope some of you will enjoy that. I will try to get this one finished soon, because I have an idea for my first crossover using OUaT and TB (Emma/Regina, Pam/Tara). AU of course. Really excited and yet really nervous!**

**Anywho, Happy Reading!**

* * *

"Fuck." Emma gasped.

Regina had her legs spread nearly to the limit, her hands gripping the blonde's firm ass as they grinded their centers together. After the shower, they had quickly dried off and made their way to the bed.

She trailed a hand up Emma's back, bringing it around to squeeze a firm breast. Regina moaned as she was almost there. She let out a strangled noise as she released her fifth orgasm. Emma finished shortly after, slowing her grind to ride it out before she collapsed gently on top of the beautiful brunette.

Emma rolled over onto her back, trying to catch her breath. Regina moved half way on top of her and rested her head on her rising chest.

"I would say we should go again, but I am actually really hungry." Regina chuckled against Emma's chest.

"How about, I order some take out, we eat in bed, and then maybe we can continue where we left off?" Regina sat up as she presented the offer.

"Sounds like a plan." Emma smiled.

After the food arrived, they sat and ate in a comfortable silence. Regina had wrapped herself in a sheet and Emma wore a large t-shirt that she had put on to answer the door. Emma wondered what had brought this on. Not that she was complaining. The sex was amazing. She had so many questions she wanted to ask, but she didn't want to push and make Regina uncomfortable. Turns out she didn't need to push.

"He's cheating on me..." Regina spoke quietly. "He has been...for a while. I'm not exactly sure how long, but at least a year." She finished. Emma didn't reply. She wanted to let Regina get it all out.

"I saw them kissing outside of our home today. He didn't know I was there." She picked at the rest of her food. "And then he lied...to my face, when I asked him about it." She chuckled sadly. "He just kept lying to me" she finished. Emma took a moment to watch Regina.

"I'm sorry you have to go through this. You deserve better." She spoke honestly. Regina gave a sad smile.

"I suppose..." Regina moved her take-out box to the bedside table.

"Is that..." Emma couldn't ignore the small seed of insecurity that had been planted. "Is that why you... Why this... Was it to get back at him?" She cleared her throat and tried to act uncaring. She knew her role.

Regina was caught off guard by the question. She didn't know how to respond. She wished she could tell Emma that it was all about wanting to be with her, but she knew it would be a lie. She was pissed, but she still loved him. She just didn't know how much. She didn't know much of anything now. She didn't know if she and Daniel could fix this. She didn't even know if her love for him was the same anymore. Most of all, she didn't know what she was doing with Emma. There was something about the blonde that kept pulling at her.

"I must admit...that seeing him with her... Having my suspicions confirmed, did something to me. I was...am…so pissed at him for doing this to me and I can't deny that that rage may have played a part in my own infidelity. But why you, Emma?" She paused. Emma looked up at her with confusion written all over her face.

"I'm not blind, Emma. I know that I am an attractive woman. If I simply wanted to even the playing field, I could have my choice of lovers." She noticed the slight look of offense on the blonde's face. "I'm not trying to sound cocky. There is just...something about you, that brought me straight here. I don't know what it is about you." She pushed a strand of Emma's hair behind her ear. Emma gave her a soft smile.

"Have you told him about the baby?" she asked. Regina took a deep breath.

"No. I haven't seemed to find the right time." Regina replied. Emma nodded.

"I think I'm failing pretty badly here." Emma stated as she cleared away her food as well.

"What are you talking about?" Regina inquired. Emma leaned back against the headboard and grabbed Regina's hand, pulling her onto her lap. The sheet fell away in the process, leaving her to straddle Emma in all her naked glory. Emma took in the beautiful body before her.

"You are clearly in need of a distraction from reality..." She trailed her hands up the smooth skin, cupping soft breasts. "My job..." she slid her thumbs over her nipples, causing them to perk almost instantly at her touch, "Is to distract you." She then leaned in to suck and kiss along Regina's neck.

"Mmm... As good as this feels...I should really head home..." Regina could feel herself getting worked up all over again. How was Emma able to turn her on so quickly?

"Or... You can stay..." Emma shrugged shyly and glanced at the woman above her. Regina's heart skipped a beat at the look in those green eyes. How could she have been so careless? She knew Emma wanted more from her. She was too caught up in her own sorrows to even think of what affect this would all have on her.

"Emma... I am still married and I do love my husband. I..." She watched as Emma lowered her head and occupied herself with tracing patterns on Regina's thighs. "I don't know what is going to happen between Daniel and me. I like you, but I don't want to lead you on..." She waited for a response.

"I understand. I really do. I knew what I was getting myself into." She looked up into brown eyes. "I don't expect anything from you. I just want to be here for you, however you need me, while you sort things out. I am allowing you to use me how you see fit." She smirked and leaned in to steal another kiss. She had hoped to lighten the mood and cover up the emotions she had accidentally let slip. Regina smiled against her lips

"I have to be at the office tomorrow..." Regina was telling herself more than Emma.

"I have to be up early. I can wake you whenever you want, you can be home in time to do whatever you need to get ready." She pulled away from plump lips and watched as Regina debated.

"Okay." Regina bit her lip. Emma gave her a heart melting smile.

"Really?" She asked. Regina smiled and nodded.

"Good." Emma spoke and then flipped them over and settled down on top on Regina. "Now where were we?" She started working her way down her body. Regina moaned...

_Won't you stay with me?_

_Cause you're all I need_

_This ain't love, it's clear to see_

_But, darling, stay with me_


	7. I've Told You Now

That one night together turned into nights, then weeks. A month had gone by and Regina had been content to let Daniel do his own thing while she did hers. It wasn't right. She knew she was avoiding the problem and most likely only making things worse for everyone involved. However, all the warnings going off in her head, weren't enough to keep her out of Emma's bed.

She was so conflicted. Being with Emma was amazing. She made her feel alive again. The way she used to feel when she had first met Daniel. It felt so good, but it concerned her. She wondered if this is how he felt with his mistress. If it was, did that mean they have truly grown apart or that they needed to try harder to get that spark back? Whenever the thoughts consumed and overwhelmed her, she went to the one person that could make all her worries disappear.

Emma... Emma was not complaining about Regina coming to her. She couldn't get enough of the beautiful brunette. Aside from the tiny reminders of Regina's situation, this past month had been perfect. Their rendezvous had happened multiple times a week. They had been all over her home, Regina's office, and even once at the bar, when Regina showed up wearing a dress that drove Emma completely insane.

The time they spent together wasn't all sex. They had talked, cuddled, cooked together. Emma couldn't help but want to know everything about Regina and it seemed like Regina was truly wanting to know more about her as well. When she was with Regina, it was like only they existed. There was no marriage, no Daniel. Just the two of them and the bun in the oven. It never failed, however, that when Regina left, she was quickly brought back to the reality of things and it was starting to eat her up inside.

"How are things at home?" Emma inquired. It was a Sunday morning and Regina had stayed over. Regina sighed softly.

"Same as always. Most days we avoid each other at all cost. When we have to be around each other... It's just silence." She explained as she started to make a pot of coffee. She was walking around the kitchen in one of Emma's large shirts and nothing else.

"So you still haven't told him?" Emma asked.

"No. I haven't found the right time." She answered, her eyes focused on the floor.

"It's never gonna be the right time, Regina. You're gonna have to tell him soon. You'll be showing before long and then there will be no hiding it." Emma tried to stress the importance without sounding pushy.

"I know... I know that, Emma. But I can't. Not right now." She had moved to fix two cups of coffee.

"Why not now?" Emma didn't see a point in waiting any longer.

"What is with all the questions? Why does it matter? I'm fine with the way things are right now and I'm not in a hurry to change it." Regina tried to remain calm. Emma noticed this and moved towards her, stroking her fingers through dark hair. She really didn't want to get the older woman too worked up, but she needed to say this.

"It's good that you are okay with things. It really is. But... This isn't just about you, Regina. Not anymore. I know, I said 'whatever you want', but that was a month ago. You're married and he is the father of that child. He deserves the right to know! I deserve..." Emma shook her head and moved away from the brunette. "He has the right to know, preferably sooner rather than later before shit gets even more complicated." She finished, managing to bring her voice back down.

Regina was somewhat shocked by the blonde's outburst and sudden interest in her marriage. She knew this wasn't just about Daniel and she wanted to know exactly what was going on in Emma's pretty little head.

"You deserve what?" She pressed.

"Nothing." She sat at the counter and stared into her coffee. "I just want you to be happy." Her voice was oddly mixed with sadness and sincerity.

"And what about you?" Regina asked. It would be a lie to say she hadn't considered Emma throughout all of this. It was one of the main reasons she wasn't ready to tell Daniel. She wasn't ready to risk losing Emma. But she never really thought of Emma falling in love with her. The blonde hid those emotions well.

"What about me? I would carry the weight of the entire world, if it meant you were happy." Emma chuckled. "God, I knew... I knew I wouldn't be able to control it, but I kept going anyway..." she trailed off.

Regina was at a loss for words. She had been so content with ignoring all the serious emotions battling within her. She was so focused on what she needed during their time together that she never even allowed herself to see any signs. She could take care of herself. When the time came for her and Emma to part ways, she would be able to bury feelings for the blonde and move on.

She had never planned on telling Emma how she felt. She never planned to tell the blonde how easy it would be to fall in love with her. She still had to work things through with her husband and she would never intentionally put those hopes in Emma's head. So she had stuck to what she thought was their unspoken agreement.

"This was only sex." She spoke out loud, trying to convince herself more than anything else.

"Yea..." Emma nodded sadly. "But we have spent the past month, fucking, cuddling, sharing secrets, talking about everything from childhood memories to baby names. It's like we had our own little world and none of the other bullshit existed. Honestly, how did you expect me not to fall for you, Regina?" She paused and took in the many emotions traveling across Regina's face. God knows Emma was freaking out inside. She closed her eyes for a moment to calm herself.

"Just...tell him...please. Because if this..." She gestured between the two of them. "…has to end..." She shook her head again. "I fall deeper in love with you, every day. If we have to end... I would rather deal with the pain now, before it becomes unbearable." She finished quietly.

Regina couldn't say anything. She just stood there staring at Emma and wondering how everything was so good last night and now they were here. She wanted to go to Emma and embrace her, hold her and tell her how everything could be fine. Tell her how she was falling in love with her too. She couldn't though. She couldn't because she knew that if Daniel wanted to work things out, that she would choose him.

After a few minutes of intense silence, she figured it out. She figured out what Emma deserved and that was to know whether she had a chance, to not be dragged along only for it to end in heart break. So she decided to give Emma what she wanted. Regina reached over and grabbed her phone off the counter. She quickly dialed a number and moved the phone to her ear. She knew he would answer. When they fight, they only call each other when it's something important.

"Regina? Is everything okay?" Daniel spoke with some concern.

"Yes." She looked up and locked eyes with Emma. "Daniel, I'm pregnant."

_What the hell?_

_Why do you think I come round here on my free will?_

_Wasting all my precious time_

_Oh, the truth spills out_

_And oh I, I've told you now_


	8. Good Thing

**A/N My daughter's Hello Kitty themed 7th birthday party was a success! She had a a lot of fun and my busy week is over. Sorry about the wait on this chapter. I could had it up a few day ago, but something about it just bothers me. Not sure what though. Anywho, II hope it meets the approval of my readers. Sorry if there are more errors than normal. I had a friend edit it, then I added/changed things but didn't want to wait for her to edit it again cause she is in Australia with a full time job. So here ya go!**

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Hours ago she had been in an awkward silence with Emma. Now she sat at her dining room table, in an awkward silence with Daniel. Neither had manage to speak a word in the last 15 minutes. They were to meet there to talk things through. She had been sitting at the table when he came in. He sat opposite her, ran his hands through his hair and sighed, and then they sat in silence.

"How far along are you?" He finally spoke up, asking the question that had been on his mind all morning. He knew it had been a while since they slept together. He couldn't help the pang of guilt and anger at the thought that it could be someone else's child.

"About two and half months..." She waited.

"Did you just find out or are you just now telling me?" And there it was. She could hear the irate tinge in his voice.

"I tried to tell you when I first found out..." She responded. "But having a night with _the boys._..was more important to you." She didn't bother to try to mask her emotions.

"I didn't know. Of course I would have stayed if I had known what it was about." He tried to defend himself.

"I see. So it is just me, that doesn't matter?" She asked offensively.

"What!?" he exclaimed.

"If you had known I was pregnant you would have stayed to talk. It was not worth your time if your wife just wanted to be with you?!" She explained.

"I told you I had plans!" Daniel snapped back.

"And you should have canceled them! I am your wife! You are supposed to be there when I need you! Does that even matter to you? Do _I_ even matter?! Regina was breathing heavily.

"Of course you matter, Regina. I should have stayed here with you and I'm sorry." Daniel apologized. Regina could hear the sincerity in his tone, but truly he didn't think it would be that easy. Did he?

"How long?" She asked.

"How long what?" He inquired.

"How long have you been sleeping with her?" She rephrased and then continued when Daniel opened his mouth to speak. "Do not lie to me... If you care about me, then have the decency to stop pretending that I am naive enough to believe you were really out with your guys all those nights" she finished.

"Year and a half." he spoke deflated. Regina felt the sharp pain in her chest when she heard this.

"Why?" She barely got the word out. "Was I doing something wrong? Was I not pleasing you or did you just...grow bored of me?" She wanted to understand. Her insecurities were starting to take over.

"No, Regina. You were...are the perfect wife. You didn't do anything wrong..." He couldn't explain his actions. "I don't know why it started. Late nights at the office and she was there."

"I was 20 minutes away...at home...waiting for you. You couldn't keep it in your goddamn pants for 20 minutes and I'm supposed to believe you have no reason for sleeping with her?!" She yelled.

"What do you want me to say, Regina? We were both so wrapped up in our jobs that we barely saw each other. Yea, you were 20 minutes. You were exhausted and passed out by the time I got home. She was convenient...and after a while it...it was just easy." He sighed heavily, He was now leaning against the wall.

"So all of this started..." Regina had started to move toward him. "Because you were too...chivalrous to wake your tired wife for a quickie?" She was now right in front of him. "Are you kidding me?! You should have talked to me!" She pushed him against the wall. "You should have fucking talked to me." Push "Not spend a year and a half…" Push" "Sleeping with someone else!" She had reached her breaking point. "I'm your wife!" She screamed and hit his chest harder. "I spent so much time...trying to figure out why...you didn't want me!" Now she was crying. Daniel stood there and took her pushes and let her beat against his chest. "I don't know...what I did...to make you stop loving me!" She tried to continue yelling but her emotions were overwhelming her. She went back in for another swing at his chest, but this time Daniel grabbed her arm.

"Regina..." He grabbed the other a second later and pulled her into his chest. He quickly wrapped his arms around her to attempt to calm her. He knew about Regina's past and the way her mother treated her. He was always so proud of how strong a woman she had become despite her upbringing. But, she still had moments of doubting her self-worth. He was always there to try to bring her out of the past.

"Why wasn't I good enough?" She whispered against his chest as the tears continued to fall freely down her cheeks.

"You were good enough. You are good enough." He soothed. "I am the one who did wrong here. You did nothing wrong..." He would continue to hold her as long as she needed.

_Have you spoken to her since she left?_

"No. To be honest I don't know if I want to." Emma was sitting on her couch, mindlessly flipping through stations while one the phone with Ruby.

_You think she's going to stay with him?_

"He's her husband and the father of her child. She still loves him." Emma sighed.

_I'm sorry, Em. If she wasn't pregnant, I would totally hunt her down and kick her ass for hurting you._

"I did this to myself. I knew the risks and I slept with her anyway." Emma gave up and turned the TV off. "This is your chance to say 'I told you so'."

_That's not something you say to a friend that's hurting. Besides, you know I was only looking out for you._

"You're the only who does..."

_And I always will... I have to go. Granny needs me in early to help stock the shelves before the dinner rush._

"Okay. Call me if you guys need help tonight. I wouldn't mind the distraction."

_Will do. I'll call you later._

"Alright. Bye." Emma hung up her phone and laid back on the couch.

The one day a week that she doesn't have to work at any of her jobs and she had done nothing but think about Regina. She had left the brunette in her home while she went to the gym. She assumed, correctly, that Regina would be gone when she returned. However, part of her still hoped the older woman would still be there. She had even left the gym early, because she couldn't clear hear head enough to focus.

She knew her odds in this. She had seen enough affairs to know that the mistress usually didn't win. She had once considered the idea that she actually had a chance. She thought Regina might have actually felt something deeper as well. But all of it, the phone calls, the late nights, lunch dates, the cuddling, seemed too good to be true. She realized that and had to remind herself of where she fit in to all of this.

They had stood there for what could have been hours. It was actually about 30 minutes. Daniel had held and soothed Regina until her tears became sporadic sniffles. When he felt like she was calm enough, he continued the conversation.

"So... What are you going to do?" he asked nervously. She pulled back and searched his face, trying to figure out what he was getting at.

"I'm not getting rid of it." She replied resolutely.

"Okay..." he took a deep breath and nodded. "Then we are having a baby." He spoke firmly and stared back into brown eyes.

"What...what about us?" She was still unclear of his intentions. She had no doubt that Daniel would be an excellent father. He was wonderful with children. But she wasn't sure of whether he wanted to do this together or... Hell she wasn't even sure of what she even wanted anymore.

"We will make it work. I'm not going to turn my back on my family. You and the baby are what's important." Her heart skipped a beat at his response. She wanted to break down in tears, but she didn't know who she would be crying for. One tear escaped down her cheek, Daniel wiped it with his thumb.

"You..." Her breath was shaky. "You have to stop seeing her..." She whispered, the words being said mainly to herself. She had had to stop seeing Emma. She has a chance to fix her marriage and she had to let go of whatever else she had.

"I know." He nodded and pulled her back into his embrace. She continued to cry on his shoulder. She wanted to curse the blonde for making her do this. She knew she wasn't ready to let go yet. She knew that when the time came, she would choose the security of her marriage over the unknown with Emma. She would have kept her secret till the last possible minute if it meant she had more time. Now it was over. Now she had to focus on her family...

The time seemed to go by in slow motion most days. Daniel had been home and more attentive. He was even insistent on being at all her doctor's appointments. She could tell he was thrilled about becoming a father. She smiled at the thought. She couldn't help but feel like this could work. All she had to do was let go. She hadn't spoken to Emma since that day. She couldn't bring herself to face the blonde. Partially because she didn't want to see the pain in those beautiful green eyes, but also, she knew she wouldn't be able to let her go if she saw her again.

So she had spent the last three weeks being the dedicated lawyer, and dedicated wife, and the excited dedicated mother-to-be. She was doing okay, until she spoke to Kat last night.

Her blonde best-friend had called to inform her of her run in with the blonde bartender. Kathryn said Emma looked good. That they spoke briefly about herself and that the younger blonde was happy to hear that she was working her marriage out. Kat said that was about as far as their conversation went.

Regina didn't know what she had expected. It's been three weeks... Of course Emma would move on. This was good. Emma deserved better that to be somebody's little secret. Now she knew for sure that she had to let go of what they had.

_Too Much of a good thing won't be good for long_

_Although you make heart sing, to stay with you would be wrong_

_Too much of a good thing won't be good anymore_

_Watch where I tread before I fall_


	9. Lay Me Down

**A/N Sorry for any errors, this chapter has not been proofed by anyone else. My normal person isn't available till this weekend and I didn't want to wait =P**

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"Are you sure this is okay? I can stay home if you want me to." Daniel insisted.

They stood in the foyer by the front door. Daniel placed a reassuring hand to Regina's cheek as she absentmindedly rubbed her protruding belly. She smiled gently at him.

"It's fine, dear. We could both use some time with our friends. You go have drinks with the guys and I will go to Kathryn's for a night of sappy romantic comedies." she insisted.

She felt bad for lying to him. He has been nothing short of amazing these past few months. In her defense, though, she saw it as a small lie. Kathryn was actually out of town on business. She wanted Daniel to have a night out, but she knew he refuse to leave her home alone. It had been like this for the past three months. It was like it used to be, only different. Still, it was better.

Daniel had broke things off with Camille. Regina was skeptical at first. But the more time he spent at home, the more time they spent together, she knew he had stopped seeing her. However, she could also tell that Daniel had let go of more than just a fling. Camille meant something to him.

"You sure you don't want me to drop you off at Kat's? I don't like the thought of you driving alone late at night." He ask before making his leave.

"It's twenty minutes from here. I'll be fine. If it gets too late, I'll stay at Kathryn's. Now go and have a good time." she finished with a peck on his lips.

"Okay. I'll be home around one." Daniel walked to his car with a final wave as he drove off.

Regina went back into the kitchen, deciding to go ahead and clean up the mess from dinner. She took her cell phone and selected a playlist, sending the music to the blue tooth speaker in the kitchen. A Sam Smith song played softly as she began to wash the dishes in the sink. She could have simply filled the dishwasher, but there was something relaxing about doing the dishes by hand. She allowed her mind to drift and she couldn't help but to think about the last six months and how much had happened.

She found out she was pregnant, she smiled at the thought of the tiny person she was carrying. She confirmed that her husband was cheating on her and had been for a while. She still wondered if she made the right choice. She discovered she liked women...well one particular woman, very much. She took a deep breath, not wanting her mind to wander back to the things she and Emma had done. The last time that happened, she ended up very aroused and took Daniel by surprise when she straddled his lap that night.

It was the first time she and Daniel and been intimate since this then. It was nice and took care of her needs, but is wasn't the same. It wasn't like when they used to make love and it wasn't like when she and Emma...were together. She sighed to herself. It was going to take more than Sam Smith and clean dishes to get her to relax. Maybe something sweet, maybe ice cream. Suddenly she felt a few soft kicks in her abdomen. She smiled.

"I figured you would like that idea, little one." She spoke to her stomach as she retrieved her keys. "How about ice cream on the beach, hmm?" she asked.

She laid in bed, stroking the head of dark hair laying on her chest.

"So are we ever going to talk about it?" the brunette asked.

"There's nothing to talk about." Emma muttered.

"Oh, come on. We have been comforting each other like this since we met in that fucked up foster home ten years ago. You haven't needed me this much is years, Em. I mean, hey, I'm very single right now, so it's not like its a problem. But, we have been hooking up for nearly 2 months. This means you are either falling madly in love with me or... You fell in love with her." she lifted her head to look up and Emma.

"I'm sorry, Lily. I just... I'm moving on. It's just taking a little longer than expected." Emma sighed. Of course Lily would see right through it all. They have been friends for ten years and were always there to tend to each other wounds. It wasn't always in a sexual way, but they were always there when they were needed. Yes Emma had Ruby, but Ruby didn't really understand the demons that a life time in the system had left her with. Lily understood it perfectly, having went through it all as well.

"Hey, it's no problem. We'll get through this, like we have gotten through everything else. Just...with a little less sex. I think that last round will have me sore for days." Lily smirked playfully.

"Sorry." Emma gave an adorable pout.

"It was worth it." Lily laughed lightly. "How about we order pizza and see whats on Netflix?" She asked while sitting up in the bed and reaching for her shirt.

"Sounds good to me." Emma sat up to get dressed as well, when her phone began to ring.

"Hello?" she didn't recognize the number.

_Hello, I'm trying to reach a Miss Emma Swan._

"Who's calling?"

_Michelle, I'm a nurse at Boston General. Is Miss Swan available?_

"You're speaking to her." Emma was getting a weird feeling about this call.

_I apologize for calling at this hour, Miss, but there has been an accident. We have been unable to reach ' emergency contact. She requested that we contact you.._

"Regina?! What happened? Is she alright?" Emma cut the nurse off. He heart stopped and she went into a panic mode once she have fully understood the nature of the call.

_She was in a car accident. She is in stable condition right now. We are monitoring her closely._

"Okay, I'm on my way." She hung up the phone and began looking around frantically for her clothes.

"You need me to drive?" Lily spoke up, quickly catching on to things.

"Um.. No, I don't want you to be stuck there all night." She looked at her friend apologetically.

"It's alright. Go, I'll lock up when I leave... After I raid your fridge." Lily smiled.

"I'll call you." Emma smiled back softly and headed out the door.

They sat around a table in the sports bar, drinking beers and bullshitting like always.

"Hey, I thought you broke it off with Camille." Victor had leaned over to speak quietly to Daniel.

"I did." he wonder why the hell Victor was bring it up.

"Does she know that?" Victor asked, nodding his head in the direction of the bar. Daniel looked over to see Camille sitting there, watching him longingly.

"Shit." he muttered.

"You might want to handle that, before shit turns into Fatal Attraction." Victor took another sip of his beer.

"Yea." Daniel got up and walked over towards the bathrooms. He knew she would be on his heels.

"Hey" the soft voice and gentle tap on his arm cause him to turn around. Camille was standing there with a look mixed to joy and worry.

"Regina Mills. I'm Emma Swan." she rushed out as soon as she hit the nurses station.

"Oh yes, Miss Swan. She is resting in room 108." Michelle answered quickly. Emma practically ran to her room.

She found a sense of relief at the lack of cables and tubes connected to the other woman. That was a good sign right? Regina looked peaceful, sleeping like nothing had happened.

"She came in a couple hours ago. We tried to reach her husband but couldn't. Last thing she said was your name before she passed out again." Michelle had entered the room to check the few active monitors. She marked a few things down on her chart.

"What happened?" Emma asked softly. She moved closer to Regina, taking one of her soft hands in hers.

"We aren't entirely sure. The front of her car was impacted on the drivers side. The other car fled the scene, but some bystanders called 911. One of them followed the ambulance here. He left his contact information just in case. Says he saw the whole thing." the nurse spoke while checking the small gash on the brunette's head.

"And how is she? Is she going to be okay? Is the baby..." Emma was trying to keep herself together.

"She should be just fine. Minor trauma to the head. I'm not sure how much information I can give you, without you being her immediate family, but our main concern right now is the baby." Michelle looked apologetically. " The doctor will be in to speak with her once she is awake, providing there are no complications. He will be to answer any questions in more depth than I can." She nodded and left the room.

"God, Regina. You can't scare me like that." She spoke softly to the sleeping beauty. She sat down in the seat next to the bed, never once letting go of her hand.

"It so good to see you again. I'm just sorry it had to be like this." she sighed. "You're going to be okay, though. The baby too. I know I can't know that for sure, but I'm choosing to stay positive." she paused. "Either way, I'm here for you. I know you chose to stay with him and that's okay, but I don't want to be without you in my life anymore. Even if its just acquaintances, I'll take it. I just can't stand to lose you completely." Emma looked down at their hands.

Why was it so hard to get over this woman. She had never wanted to be friends or anything with her ex-lovers. Lily was different, of course, but her heart just couldn't seem to let Regina go. She sat here knowing that her company was temporary. As soon as they get a hold of Daniel, Regina won't need her comfort anymore. But she was here now and she would do whatever she could to help.

"They have a witness to the accident. He left is contact info. I can't believe the other driver just left you there." the thought really pissed her off. "But remember how I told you that I'm good at finding people? I'm gonna find the asshole that did this and I will try my best not to fucken kick their ass before turning them into the police." Emma leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to plump lips. The other woman moaned at the touch, her eyes fluttering open.

"That bastard came out of nowhere." Her voice was raspy. She looked up into green eyes that she had dreamed about for the past few months. "Hey."

"Hey." Emma replied back.

"You came." Regina squeezed the hand still holding hers.

"Always." Emma replied without hesitation. "I've missed you..." It was barely a whisper.

"You're awake. Good." the nurse came in before Regina had a chance to reply. She started checking the patient over like she had when Emma first arrived.

"Is he okay? Is my baby okay?" Regina asked immediately.

"There are some concerns, but nothing that requires immediate attention. Its more of a wait and see situation. I'm only a nurse, so I can't go into much detail. But as soon as I finish checking you're stats, I will page the doctor for you." Michelle smiled.

"Thank you. Have you been able to reach my husband?" Regina inquired next.

"No, ma'am. I'm sorry. I will keep trying though." the nurse walked back out of the room. Regina sighed and brought her attention back to the blonde in the room. She smiled at her softly. She didn't really know what to say to her. She wasn't even sure why she asked the nurse to call her. But she came. Emma was here and all Regina could really do was stare. She had missed her too. God, she has missed her too much.

"Um...do you have your cellphone?" Emma was beginning to feel a bit anxious under the chocolate gaze, she decided to make herself useful. "He might be more likely to respond to a number he knows." She explained further at Regina questioning look.

"Oh, um... It was in my bag..." Regina trailed off, gazing around the room for said handbag.

"Got it." Emma spotted the bag and quickly retrieved the cellphone. She went to hand it to Regina, but the other woman refused it.

"Can you have the nurse do it, please." she asked.

"Yea, sure." Emma left the room to head to the nurses station. She returned about 10 minutes later. "Okay. That worked. He answered on the first try and he is on his way." She gave a sad smile and replaced the cellphone in the bag.

"Will you stay with me. Until he gets here. I...don't want to be alone." Regina wasn't ready for Emma to leave yet.

"Yea, of course. Whatever you want." Emma replied sincerely. Regina smiled at the familiar phrase. She knew Emma meant it. "So, it's a boy?" Emma asked.

"Yes." Regina nodded with a smile. Emma couldn't help but smile as well. She knew Regina wanted a little boy to name after her father.

"Hey there, Henry." Emma spoke softly to the swollen belly. Regina couldn't stop the emotions that flowed through her as she watched Emma talk to here round stomach. "I know you and mommy had quite a scare today, but everything is okay. You're going to be just fine."

They were like this for a while. Regina absentmindedly running her fingers through Emma's hair, while said blonde told the unborn child a story. It didn't feel like this with Daniel. Another reason for her to question whether she made the right choice.

Emma originally started talking to the baby in order to avoid the awkward attempts at conversation with the other woman. But as she sat there telling the story, one hand softly stroking the round belly, Regina running her fingers trough her blonde curls... Did Regina even realize want she was doing?... Probably not. Emma was certain of one thing though. She wanted this. She wanted to be the one to love, cherish, and protect this beautiful woman and her child...

_Can I lay by your side, next to you_

_And make sure you're alright_

_I'll take care of you_

_I don't want to be here if I can't be with you tonight_


	10. Not in that Way

"_Hey" the soft voice and gentle tap on his arm caused him to turn around. Camille was standing there with a look mixed of joy and worry._

"What are you doing here?" he asked calmly.

"I'm sorry. I just needed to see you. How...how are you?" She asked, shifting nervously from one foot to the other.

"I'm okay." He sighed. "And so is my wife and the baby" he finished. Camille nodded her understanding. "We can't do this." he spoke softly.

"I know. I just miss you, okay?" He watched one tear travel down her cheek. "I get what you are doing. I understand that you feel guilty and you want to be there for them. But, what about me? I know you love us both, but you said it yourself that your love for her isn't the same anymore" she pleaded.

"I have to be there for her. I can't take care of her and be with you at the same time. It's not right and it's not fair for either of you. I have to put her first right now. I don't expect you to understand that...and I don't expect you to wait for me." He tried to get her to understand.

"You think I won't wait for you..." It wasn't a question.

"I don't want you to. I will always love Regina and I will always be there when she needs me. I fucked up once and I almost lost her... My love for her isn't what it used to be, but it's still strong and she still means the world to me." He looked torn in a way. "Even if we weren't together anymore... I would still drop everything if she needed me..." He paused and stepped towards Camille and grabbed one of her hands. "I do love you, but I don't expect you to understand what Regina and I have. I don't expect you to wait." He finished, hoping that she would understand his intentions.

"Okay... You're right. I don't understand your feelings for her, but..." she paused when he took his phone out of his pocket. After glancing at the screen, he silenced it and put it back. She sighed and took a step forward, placing her hands on his cheeks.

"I don't understand what you two have, but I want to. I am not going anywhere. I will wait for you and I will accept that she will always have a place in your heart..." Her left thumb stroked his cheek. "But only if you want me to. If you love me and still want to be with me, then I'll wait... I don't want to be with anyone else, Daniel." She finished, not hiding the traces of fear and hope in her features.

"You know I love you, Cami." His mind was processing everything. He didn't even register his hand moving to her hip on instinct.

Camille felt a flood of relief and couldn't stop herself from reacting. Within seconds, her lips were on his and he responded immediately. His hands wrapped around her waist as she slowly pushed him backwards towards the wall. They lost themselves in the kiss. After spending months apart, they took this moment to remember what it was like. His hands began to trace familiar outlines of her body, while she pressed herself against him, her arms around his neck. He knew he needed to stop this soon, but it was hard to pull away from lips he missed so much. The opportunity arose when his phone began to ring again.

"What the fuck do these people want?" He yanked his phone out of his pocket. When he glanced at the screen, he noticed it was a different number this time and answered immediately.

"Regina. What's up?" He inquired.

_Actually, this is Michelle, a nurse here at Boston General. We have been trying to contact you. Your wife was involved in a car accident._

"Shit! Is she okay? What about the baby?" His mind was racing with concern and guilt. He assumed the caller was someone looking for a lawyer or some other client bullshit that he didn't want to deal with tonight.

_Regina is stable and she should be just fine, however, we have been closely monitoring the baby..._

"I'm on my way." He cut her off and hung up the phone. "I have to go." He hurried off without a second glance. He knew Regina would be okay, but now he was in full panic mode over his child. Camille had heard enough of the conversation to know not to hold him back.

The hospital was a 15 minute drive. He made it in 10, which Regina would have surely scolded him for, reminding him that it would have done nobody any good if he had killed himself on the way there. He parked quickly and made his way into the building.

"Hi, I'm Daniel Hayes, Regina Mills' husband."

"Room 108, Mr. Hayes." The nurse replied quickly.

He quickly made his way to her room, stopping dead in his tracks when he reached the door. He stepped back slightly to keep from being noticed. He stood there and observed the interactions between Regina and a blonde woman he had never met before. He knew it wasn't Kathryn. He watched as his wife ran her fingers affectionately through blonde curls and listened as the blonde spoke to Regina's stomach. He saw the look in Regina's eyes. She used to look at him that way.

He couldn't really process the emotions going through his head at that moment. With everything that had happened thus far, he was at a loss on whether to be relieved or angry. There was definitely some confusion, as he watched the blonde take hold of Regina's hand, kissing it lightly. When the hell did his wife start liking women? He lifted his arm and ran his fingers through his hair, wondering how things had changed so fast. The move caught the attention of brown eyes.

"Daniel." Regina spoke softly, garnering the tall man's attention and causing Emma to whip her head in the direction of the door.

"Regina." Daniel rushed in to embrace her. Emma moved swiftly, stepping back from the couple. "How are you feeling? Are you okay?" he asked when he pulled back.

"I'm fine. The doctor should been in soon" she assured him. They were brought out of their moment when the other person in the room cleared their throat.

"I'm...just gonna go." Emma spoke. She had to resist the urge to hug and kiss Regina. Regina nodded sadly, secretly wishing the blonde would stay.

"Thank you, Miss Swan." She spoke.

"Anytime." Emma quietly left the room.

Neither of the two remaining decided to address the issue at hand. Daniel simply focused on the well-being of Regina and their child. Regina simply didn't want to talk about it. So Daniel sat down next to her bed with her hand in his and they waited for the doctor.

"What are you doing?" Daniel asked when Regina walked into the kitchen.

"I'm thirsty" was all she said as she moved to retrieve a glass.

"I'll get it." Daniel took the glass from her hand. She sighed.

"I can fix my own glass of water, Daniel." After three days of this, she was beginning to whine like a child.

"Yes, you can. But while I'm here, you don't have to. Now go lay back down and put your feet up this time." He instructed, not leaving room for her to argue. She huffed and made her way back into the living room.

They were lucky. The doctor had informed them that the main concern was the baby's heart rate. It was far too low when she had been brought in and could have been caused by many different things. She had to stay overnight and Daniel stayed with her. They had a very enlightening conversation that night and both were surprisingly amicable about the entire thing.

"_So how do you know Miss Swan?" He figured they were beyond the need to beat around the bush anymore. They had been through a lot lately. Being straightforward and honest was working for them. Regina felt the same way._

"_I went out with Kat that night we argued. Emma was bar-tending at the bar we went to." She saw no point in lying. She had never told him about Emma. She figured it was irrelevant once they had agreed to work on this. However, after looking into those green eyes again..._

"_And how long were you sleeping with her?" His voice held a more curious tone. He honestly had no reason to be upset with her. She gave him a questioning look. "It's the way you looked at her. You used to look at me that way." He clarified._

"_I stopped seeing her the day I told you I was pregnant. Today was the first time since then." she answered._

"_You love her..." it wasn't a question. Regina took a deep breath._

"_Daniel... It was supposed to be just sex. I was so mad at you..." A tear fell down her soft cheek. She couldn't bring herself to say much else. "I love you..."_

"_I know." He stood from his seat and wiped the tear from her cheek. "I have no doubts that you love me. But you are _in love_ with her" he finished. She looked up into his brown eyes._

"_I think I am..." she whispered. Daniel sighed heavily. Regina looked down at their hands, finders linked together._

"_And I'm in love with Camille." He spoke softly. Regina looked up at him surprised. It wasn't that he loved Camille. It was that he admitted it._

"_What are we doing?" she whispered._

"_Trying to hold on..." His voice was calm. She nodded._

"_Perhaps...we fell in love with the idea of you being my knight in shining armor when I needed you." She squeezed his hand, another tear falling freely._

"_I will always be your knight when you need me." He smiled softly. Regina gave a light chuckle._

"_I'm not sure Emma would appreciate that. Or Camille for that matter." They both knew what was happening at this moment._

"_I can try to back off a bit, but they will both have to understand and accept my protectiveness over you." Daniel had been there for her unconditionally since the day they met in college. When he found out about her mentally and physically abusive mother, his loyalty increased tenfold. He fought for her till the day Cora passed away and stayed by her for years afterwards. She would always love him for that._

"_And my love for you." She stroked his cheek and smiled softly._

_Hopefully the women in their lives would be able to accept this._

So here they were three days later. Regina had been sentenced to bed rest. Well, she saw it as a sentence, but in the end, little Henry Daniel Mills-Hayes was worth it. She needed to take it easy until his heart rate settled at a comfortable rate. They were sent home with a special monitor to allow them to check his rate, ordered to come back if it ever fell below a certain level.

"So...you going to call her anytime soon?" Daniel came into the living room with her water. He sat it on the coffee table in front of her and took a seat in the recliner.

"I will... I have been kind of letting everything set in, you know." She took a sip of her water. "Thank you."

"I'm sure she would love to know how you two are doing" he encouraged.

"I know. Maybe, I will call her tonight" she replied.

"Good. I am going to get something started for dinner." He stood up and made his way back to the kitchen, patting her leg on his way.

_I'm sorry, believe me_

_I love you_

_But not in that way_


	11. Leave Your Lover

**A/N Hello All! Sorry about how long it took to update. Got a little bit caught up in real life. Should have read the fine print when I singed up to be a single mother of two... =P**

* * *

"So what have we got so far?" Lily asked, ready to jot down some notes.

"Well. I called the witness yesterday. Dr. Archie Hopper. He said he was in the car directly behind Regina's when it happened." Emma was skimming over the info she had written down last night. "Regina was stopped in the left turning lane, the light turned green, she began to drive, and the bastard came out of nowhere hitting her front driver's side and sped off." She had to breathe to keep herself steady. They could have lost Henry... _Regina_ could have lost Henry.

"Holy hell..." Ruby whispered. Lily and she had both willingly jumped on board to help Emma track the suspect down.

"Right. What do we know about the other driver?" Lily inquired. She had often helped Emma in her search for perps. She proved to be very handy with a computer.

"Dr. Hopper was fairly certain the driver was an African American male, driving a silver sedan. Honda. He was certain it was a Honda logo, but he didn't catch the plate." Emma added.

"Damn, there goes my psycho mistress theory." Ruby huffed.

"God, Rubes. You are constantly looking for drama, aren't you?" Lily laughed. Ruby shrugged.

"Unless she paid to have someone else do it." Emma spoke up.

"Oh, come on. You too, Em?" Lily asked.

"I'm not saying I think it was her...but I don't think this was an accident." Emma stood up and started pacing. "I mean think about... She was stopped in the left lane on Main St., for a few minutes probably." She was looking at her notes as she paced. "The light changed and she began to turn left onto 12th. Regina and Dr. Hopper both said the car came out of nowhere... If it were someone trying to beat the light at the last minute, she would have seen the car coming" she explained. "I know it's a little crazy, but what if the driver actually waited for her to start driving before he made his move?" She questioned.

"She is a lawyer and a well-known one. I wouldn't doubt she had enemies" came Ruby's input.

"Okay, let's say this was a possibility." Lily began working away at the computer as she spoke. "That would make this much more serious and would likely have been considered by the police already..." she trailed off as she typed furiously.

"So what now? We give up? They could already have the guy in custody for all we know?" Ruby wasn't as up to speed on how this all worked.

"They have suspects." Lily stated.

"And you know that, how?" Ruby asked.

"I hacked the PD." Lily replied as if it was nothing.

"From my computer?!" Emma snapped.

"I blocked your IP address..." Lily replied sheepishly. Emma shook her head.

"You're lucky this is for Regina or I might have actually kicked your ass for that..." Emma flopped back into her seat. Lily and Ruby both smiled. "What?!" She exclaimed.

"You are so in love with her..." Ruby spoke first. Emma sighed. "Why won't you just tell her?" she asked.

"Look, I just care about what happens with her and the baby. I care about getting this unstable asshole off the streets." Emma rationalized.

"You're scared." Lily spoke gently. She had been browsing the police reports from the accident.

"Of course I am. We have all put our hearts out there before. Rejection isn't something you just get used to... It hurts. I told her how I felt once already and she chose him. I was there for her in the hospital and at the end of the day, she went to him. Her actions aren't exactly building my confidence here. I don't want to put myself out again. I'm fine with being friends." Emma ended her speech.

"You really think you can be just friends? You can't be friends with the person you're madly in love with. It'll be torture for you..." Ruby was cut off.

"I'm not madly in love with..." Emma was cut off.

"Truly, Madly, Deeply..." Lily stated while skimming the reports.

"Thank you, Savage Garden. That was very helpful." Emma's voice was laced with sarcasm. Lily shrugged.

"I've got something!" Lily exclaimed. "And don't think this conversation is over." She added, pointing to Emma.

"Whatever... What did you find?" She was happy to getting back on track.

"Well, one of the witness interviewed by the cops gave a partial plate number... 1352... Now if this was all staged, chances are the car would be ditched. I did a cross-reference for local tow companies and..." she went back to the info on the computer. "There was a silver Honda Accord, plate number ENT-1352, towed to Chuck's Impound on Neal St." She finished.

"Mmm... I know that place!" Ruby exclaimed as she finished sipping her drink, happy to find a way she can help. The other two looked at her questioningly. "And... I know the tall dark and handsome man that works there most days..." She trailed off and the other two nodded their understanding. Ruby pulled out her cell phone and quickly dialed a familiar number.

"Hey, Billy. It's Ruby... Yea, I had a great time... I would love to, but listen. I was hoping you could help me with something..." Ruby worked her charm.

Emma and Lily sat back and watched as Ruby seemed to get every bit of information they needed out of the man. She simply gave a brief reason for why it was important to her and he was listing every detail imaginable.

"This may be easier than we thought." Emma stated, Lily nodded. Shortly afterwards, Ruby had written down all the info and hung up the phone with a very satisfying smile. She handed the paper to Emma.

"Plate number and VIN. Silver Honda Accord, damage to the front passenger side of the vehicle. Turns out it's a rental from Enterprise. Their contact info is there as well. They will be picking up the car next week" she finished happily.

"Nice, Rubes." Emma stated as Lily snatched the paper from her hand. She began working on the computer again, fingers typing away on the keyboard.

"My turn." Emma pulls out her cell to call the rental agency. "Good afternoon, Ms. Brice. This is Detective Nolan from the Boston Police Department. We are investigating a hit and run incident that involved one of your vehicles... Yes, ma'am. We were hoping you could give the name of who rented out the particular car. Plate number ENT-1352... Thank you very much for your cooperation. It certainly makes it easier for us to do our job. You have a good evening." Emma hung up the phone with a slight look of shock on her face.

"She didn't even ask about a warrant or anything... She must be new there." Emma chucked at how easy this was turning out to be. "See what you can find out about a Sidney Glass..." she finished and Lily was on it in a matter of seconds.

"So... While she is doing that...let's talk about what you are going to do about Regina..." Ruby looked at Emma pointedly. Emma rolled her eyes.

"Simple. I'm going to help get this bastard booked for attempted manslaughter. Then I will leave her in peace to build a happy family with her cheating husband. If I'm lucky, she will want to remain friends and then I can secretly pine after her until I either get over it or die from a broken heart." Emma starred at Ruby unblinking.

"I can't tell if you're joking or not..." Ruby was truly stumped.

"What does it matter? I'm not going to tell her anything about how I feel, because she is not going to leave him." Emma stated.

"So you are just going to be her friend. You're just going to sit back and watch her go home to him every night, knowing damn well he doesn't even deserve the second chance she is giving him?" Ruby inquired heatedly. Lily may have been working, but she was also following the conversation. She let Ruby do the talking. The slim brunette may prefer fun to commitment, but she knew more about relationships than Emma and Lily both.

"What other choice do I have? Either way I'm screwed, but I would rather still be in her life, than have nothing at all..." Emma sounded defeated about the whole thing. Ruby shook her head sadly, wishing Emma would give it one last try before giving up.

"That is really sweet and romantic and...depressing. I'm changing the subject for now." Lily spoke up. "Sidney Glass, African American male, and 37 years old..." she skimmed a bio she had found of him on the internet. "Studied law at Harvard, which apparently didn't do him much good, as most of the comments on this site call him a horrible lawyer... He is currently working free-lance since... Holy Hell..." she trailed off.

"What?!" Emma questioned.

"...since he was fired from Mills &amp; Berring Law Firm two years ago..." Lily finished.

"Mills...as in..." Ruby inquired

"The firm was created by Regina Mills and Myka Berring in 2008... Very successful firm." Lily was quick with the information.

"Shit." Emma whispered.

Looks like things got complicated. They weren't going to be able to get much further with this without involving the police. Luckily, she was pretty good friends with the real Detective Nolan. She knew she could trust David to take her theory seriously. She couldn't help but wonder what happened between the firm and Glass that would cause him to take such drastic measures. Then that led to her wondering whether Berring might also be at risk or if Regina was still in danger.

Her feelings started raging inside of her at the prospect of Regina still being a target. It's possible that she had watched way too much Law &amp; Order over the years and her imagination could be running wild. But at the moment...she really didn't give a fuck. Yes, Regina had Daniel, but for Emma, that wasn't good enough. She knew she wouldn't stop worrying until this psycho was behind bars. She had to make sure Regina was safe.

"Well... This just got even more interesting." Lily pulled Emma out of her thoughts. "Apparently, Regina filed for a restraining order against Glass...two years ago."

"Fuck!" Emma snapped. "I'll be back. I'm going to go see David." She stated and was out the door before either brunette could reply.

As she drove, her thoughts were running wild. She thought about anything and everything that was Regina Mills. She thought about their time together, about how she wanted so much more, about forcing her to tell Daniel about the baby, about the baby, about how miserable she was those three months without her, about how scared she was over the accident, about how it felt to be near her again, about watching Daniel rush to her side, about this sick fucker that was still out there.

As her brain processed everything, she came to a conclusion. She knew that there was nothing she wouldn't do for Regina Mills. She wanted to do and be everything to and for her. She knew deep down that she would never really give up on being with her. She didn't believe she stood a chance, but she was beginning to wonder if Ruby was right. Maybe she should try again... First she would get David caught up on everything and then...then she might just pay a visit to the one person she couldn't stop thinking about.

_Pack up and leave everything,  
Don't you see what I can bring  
Can't keep this beating heart at bay  
Set my midnight sorrow free,  
I will give you all of me  
Just leave your lover, leave him for me.  
Leave your lover, leave him for me._


	12. Like I Can

**A/N Season Finale... WHAT?! I so saw that coming. Admittedly I didn't actually see it coming until the guy did the thing. Then, they almost tricked me and I was like 'NO! This can't happen!' and then she was like 'I'm not going to let it happen!' and then what I thought would happen actually happened! Now I can hardly wait to see what happens!**

**Forgive me for being vague and possibly annoying. I didn't want to provide any concrete spoilers! =D**

She stood at the door of Regina's home. Her big impressive looking home. She had come here with two objectives. Firstly, she wanted to let Regina know that she had found the person responsible for the accident and to find out how the brunette wanted to handle it. Secondly, she wanted to confess her undying love to Regina and to plead her case as to why she was a better choice than Daniel.

At first she was convinced that things worked out for the best. She'd had her heart broken before, by lovers, by family, she could get through it. She had enlisted Lily's help, though they hadn't been intimate since she was called to the hospital for Regina. Instead Lily, and even Ruby, had done what they could to help her track down the asshole, while helping her sort out her feelings for the brunette.

So here she stood and she was beyond scared. Something in the back of her mind kept planting that seed of doubt, which kept leading her to questioning herself. She didn't know if she could do this. Being turned down by Regina a second time would hurt even more than the first. She took a deep breath and decided to just wing it. She would start with official business and then...if she had it in her, she would tell the brunette how she felt. If not, then she would walk away, content with being a coward for a little longer. She reached her hand up ready to knock, but the door opened before she had the chance.

"Um, hi. I... I'm Emma... Swan." She recognized Daniel when he opened the door.

"From the hospital... Right. Daniel..." he shook her hand. "I assume you're here for Regina. She's in the living room. I was on my way to the store... You're welcome to go in if you would like." He opened the door wider to allow Emma to step in.

"Thanks." Emma spoke quietly.

"Regina, you have a visitor. I'll be back in an hour!" Daniel called from the foyer.

"Okay!" Regina called from the other room, wondering who would be coming to visit. Not many people knew about the accident or her need to be on bed rest for a little while. Myka had already been by to check on her and go over things in regards to her cases.

"Thank you." Emma nodded to Daniel as he made his way out of the house. Her nerves had increased tenfold, but she was determined to stick with her plan and at the very least talk to Regina about Sydney Glass. She made her way to the living room and found the brunette beauty lying on the couch propped up against the arm. Regina had been leaning over to set down her glass of water, then looked up to see her visitor.

"Emma?" She was not expecting that.

"Hi." Emma replied shyly.

"What are you doing here?" She hadn't spoken to the blonde since the hospital, so she couldn't have known about her current condition.

"I um... I came to see how you were doing and I wanted to talk to you about the accident." She took a seat in the chair opposite of the couch. "How are you? How's Henry? She inquired.

"I'm good. As good as I can be, with being on bed rest and all. Henry gave us all a little scare with his heart rate dropping too low. The doctor believes it was just due to the stress from the accident." She smiled at Emma, secretly loving the sound of her saying Henry's name. Even Daniel still refers to him as 'the baby'.

"How long are you on bed rest for?" Emma asked.

"A couple of weeks at the most, hopefully." She gave a small smile. "You said you wanted to talk about the accident?" Regina was curious to know what the blonde had discovered.

"Um, yeah. My friends and I got together and did a little research. We were able to get the information from Dr. Hopper... He's the one who made sure you got to the hospital... Um, his information and the police reports led us to the car that was used in the accident." Emma paused to give Regina a chance to keep up.

"Okay..." she replied encouraging Emma to continue.

"We tracked the car down to an impound lot, where we were able to get the full plate number and VIN. It turned out to be a rental car from Enterprise and we were able to find out...who...rented the car last..." Emma paused again.

"And who rented the car?" Regina was getting the feeling that this entire situation was a bit more complicated than a random hit and run.

"Sydney Glass..." Emma watched the immediate realization dawn on Regina's features.

"Oh God." Regina sat up straight on the couch and ran her fingers through her hair. "You're sure?" She couldn't believe the man would go this far. The restraining order had been a precaution after he had showed up to her house one day, insisting they were meant to be together.

"Pretty sure, yea. I'm not trying to brag, but I am good at what I do and based on all our research... I'm about 99.9% sure that this was no accident." Emma watched the anger flare up in Regina's eyes, before said brunette closed them and took deep breaths to calm herself.

"I need to call the police" The brunette got up to retrieve her phone. Emma moved quickly to stop her, gently urging her to sit back down.

"Actually..." She reached into her pocket to pull out a card. "Detective Nolan is a good friend of mine. I have already spoken to him about everything my friends and I discovered. He is starting an investigation and should be calling you real soon." She handed Regina the detective's card. "If you wish to contact him." She shrugged.

"Thank you." Regina spoke softly. Part of her was surprised at how thorough the blonde had been and yet part of her wasn't surprised at all. Emma knelt down in front of Regina.

"Regina, listen... This guy is still out there and I can't go after him until a warrant has been issued for his arrest. But, while the police are spending time completing their investigation... I will be tracking him down. The moment that Nolan gives me the 'OK', I'm going after his ass. I will find him" the blonde vowed.

"Emma..." Regina gently shook her head. "I can't have you in the middle of this. He has completely lost his mind and I don't want you to get hurt" she pleaded. Emma smiled softly.

"I'm a Bounty Hunter. I'm a lot tougher than I look. I'll be okay, but I am not going to sleep well until I know he is in jail and you and Henry are safe." She gently squeezed soft tanned hands. "Until then, I want you to be careful... I can't lose you..." She softly kissed Regina's hand.

"Emma, I..." she was cut off by the blonde shaking her head.

"No, Regina. I know that you have a lot to deal with right now, but I need to say this before I lose my nerve... I thought you were the most beautiful woman the moment I saw you. I didn't know what your story was, but I knew that I had to know you. I don't know if it was love at first sight or if that's even possible, but I was so drawn to you from the moment you walked into the bar." Regina's heart was starting to beat faster. "When I realized you were married I had convinced myself that we could never happen. I had to watch you leave that night, knowing I would most likely never see you again."

"And then our paths crossed again and I got to spend time with you and the second your lips touched mine... I knew that I would fall so hard for you. I knew it was wrong... The time we spent together. I knew it was wrong, but every single part of it felt so right. I didn't want to... I couldn't give it up." She shifted from squatting to gently sitting on her knees. Taking a moment to catch her breath, she noticed the single tear fall from Regina's eyes. Not knowing if it was a good or bad tear, she decided to press on. She wanted to let everything out before she lost her chance.

"I told myself that I could handle it all. That I could control my feelings and cherish every moment I got to spend with you. Even if I failed, being with you was worth every ounce of pain that followed when you left... After one week of barely knowing you, I realized that I would do anything for you... Even if you decided to stay with him. I will still be right here whenever you need me, but..." Emma took a deep breath to settle her nerves.

"I am so in love with you, Regina and I want you to choose me. I want you to love me..."

_There may be lovers who hold out their hands_  
_But they'll never love you like I can, can, can_


	13. Life Support

**I've been sleeping with the lights on  
Cause the darkness is surrounding you  
This is my world, this is my choice  
And you're the drug that gets me through**

She sat in the front row and watched as 4 year old Henry made his way down the aisle. He wore an adorable little tuxedo and held on tightly to a cream colored silk pillow that held two ring boxes. She couldn't help the smile forming on her face as Henry walked carefully, determined to be the best ring bearer. She blew him a kiss as he passed her and his face lit up with pride. He attempted to whisper 'I love you, Mommy' but it wasn't quite a whisper and cause a small outburst of giggles and 'aw's from the other guests. Henry was becoming quite the adorable gentleman.

Henry finally reached the stage, allowing the Best Man and Maid of Honor to grab the boxes, preparing the rings for their respective charges. As the Judge continued on with the wedding, Regina couldn't help but look down and admire her own set of rings adorning her left hand. It had been a little over four years since the day that beautiful blonde came into her life and honestly, she had never been happier.

**I've been waiting for an answer  
Because I built this bed for two  
I'm just hanging on your answer  
I built this bed for me and you**

"_I am so in love with you, Regina and I want you to choose me. I want you to love me..." _

_Emma looked up to see tears in the brown eyes she loved so much. She was trying to keep her own tears at bay, trying to brave and strong. Mere seconds had passed, but the silence felt like an eternity to Emma._

_Regina was absolutely speechless. Her mind was still trying to process the situation with Sidney and here Emma was, pouring out her heart to her. Definitely not the best timing, but she could understand the need to act while the courage was there. Truth be told, Regina was scared. She had gotten used to living her life a certain way and now everything was changing so fast. She was facing a divorce, a child, a psychotic stalker, and possibly a new relationship all at once. Her mind and emotions were on overdrive. She knew she wanted to be with Emma. She knew she loved her. She had yet to reach out to the blonde because she hadn't been ready. She still didn't know if she was ready._

"_Emma..." she tried to speak, but was interrupted when Daniel had returned home. He entered the living room, presumably to speak to Regina, but stopped in his track, sensing the charged emotions in the room._

"_Uh. Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I'll be in the kitchen." He spoke and began to turn to leave._

"_No, it's ok." Emma took a deep breath to steady herself. "I'm just gonna go." She was about to burst at the seams. She feared that the only thing coming from those plump lips would be another rejection. If that was the case, there was no way she would be able to keep herself together. She needed to get out of there before she completely fell apart. _

_She stood up and began to walk away, but she was stopped by a soft grip on her wrist. She turned to face Regina, one tear slipping down her pale cheek. Neither woman noticed when Daniel had slipped away to give them privacy. Regina stood up to face Emma, now holding her hand instead of her wrist. Her other hand moved to the younger woman's cheek, wiping away her tear with her thumb. She moved her hand to Emma's neck and slowly pulled her in for a gentle, but passionate kiss. _

"_I love you, too" she whispered against soft lips when they pulled apart. "I choose you."_

**Can't you see that I am yours?  
So will you be my life support?  
You're my life support  
You're my life support**

She wasn't sure then, how everything would work itself out, but it was a pleasant surprise that being with Emma actually made her life easier to manage. Things were admittedly awkward in the beginning. She had sat Emma down and explained the mutual decision she and Daniel had made for a divorce and their desire to remain friends, not just for Henry, but for themselves. Emma was completely wonderful and understanding about the entire thing.

Although, while everyone accepted their new life, there were plenty of moments of conflict. It took nearly two months for Emma to even acknowledge Daniel's existence. She was never hostile towards him, but she affectively avoided him at all costs. The entire Sidney situation had caused a ruckus between the two of them, to which Regina had to put a stop before things escalated. Fortunately they came to a mutual agreement that the most important thing was to get him off the streets as soon as possible. To Regina's dismay and relief, Emma was out the door and had Mr. Glass in police custody in only three days.

After a couple months, things started to become more comfortable. She was convinced that an unborn Henry was magically working to pull his family together. Daniel was quickly learning that Regina was in good hands. Emma gained some respect for the man and was glad Regina had others she could turn to if needed. Camille had put aside her fear of Regina enough to extend an olive branch. While somewhere in her mind, she still considered the woman a home wrecker, she knew she couldn't completely hate the woman. She made Daniel happy, led herself to Emma, and she would be around her son on a regular basis.

She still had her reservations about the woman and enjoyed the fear she could instill in her with just a look. But one day, Camille actually surprised her…

"_UGHHHHHHHH!" Regina screamed as another contraction hit her hard. _

_She had gone into labor while having a lunch date with her partner, Myka. Now she was in the hospital alone and Henry was not waiting for the others. Myka had been called back into court for a high profile case, but she made sure that everyone was called and on their way before she left._

"_Regina, I don't think we can wait much longer. You are going to have to start pushing soon." Dr. Wells spoke in her thick British accent._

"_No! I am not having this baby by myself. We will wait until they get here…" she trailed off into another cry as the next contraction hit._

"_I am truly offended. I have been married to Myka for three years and we both consider you family. You are not alone, darling." Dr. Wells scolded her softly._

"_I love you, Helena…" Regina spoke between catching her breath. "…but you are not the one who got me fucking pregnant and you are not the one who insists on groping me every night! The least they could do is _be here_!" Regina breathed out as another contraction began. Helena scoffed, used to the many things pregnant women would say._

"_She has gotten a lot crankier towards the end of the pregnancy." Camille stated as she stepped into the room._

"_I can see that." Dr. Wells replied._

"_What are _you_ doing here? Go away!" Regina didn't want the girl seeing her like this. She wanted Emma and Daniel to help her through this._

"_I'm not leaving, Regina. Daniel and Emma are on their way, but according to everyone here this little guy isn't waiting." Camille made her way to the bed and took Regina's hand to help her through the pain. "I know this is something they should be here for. I wish they were here and if one of them shows up, then I will gladly step out of the way. But until then… I am not leaving you have this baby alone." She spoke resolutely. Regina stared for a moment, knowing that Henry was coming now._

"_Okay." She whispered, giving Camille's hand a soft squeeze. "Okay, I'm ready." She nodded and looked to Helena._

"_Alright." Dr. Wells smiled. "Let's have this baby…"_

**Sick of waking up in darkness  
When the sky is always painted blue  
There's a method to my madness  
It's clear that you don't have a clue**

That was turning point for the two women. They didn't become best friends, but they definitely became friends on some level. Now she was sitting front row for Daniel and Camille's wedding. In her lap she held on to a soft pale hand. Emma sat next to her in a lovely light pink dress, her beautiful blonde hair coming down in waves. She chanced a short glance at her love. Emma smiled at her and mouthed the words 'I love you'. Regina gave a smile in return and squeezed the blonde's hand before returning her attention to the ceremony.

She listened to the Judge and watched as the couple exchanged vows and rings. She couldn't help but look down at the hands in her lap and the matching rings on their fingers. Her mind wandered back to when she was standing at the altar, looking into green eyes. Getting married to Daniel was wonderful, but marrying Emma… It was everything. She had never felt the whirlwind of emotions that she felt for the blonde. She knew their love continued to grow deeper every day and it wasn't going to stop. She knew she was going to be with Emma forever.

"_What are you thinking?" Regina asked as she and Emma swayed to the music._

"_You are so beautiful. I still can't believe you chose me." Emma looked at her dreamy eyed. _

_Regina didn't know how to respond to that. She considered it as they shared their first dance as wives in front of their guests. They danced to Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud. Emma had always loved the song. One night, while it played on the radio, Emma had pulled her from the couch. They danced in the living room as Emma sang the lyrics in her ear. Regina knew then that it should be their song._

"_My heart chose you, Emma. You know how scared I was to take that step. But my heart wanted you. I realized that I wanted you more than anything. I can't explain it, but I love everything about you. Even when we argue." Emma smiled at her._

"_I love you, Regina." Emma whispered before leaning in to share a kiss with her wife on the dance floor._

**I've been waiting for an answer  
Because I built this bed for two  
I'm just hanging on your answer  
I built this bed for me and you**

They had been together for five years, married for two. They had their ups and downs and always worked through it. So far the biggest issue had been when Regina found out the extent of Emma and Lily's friendship. It had been a mix of jealously and fear. She feared that the moment things between them got complicated, that Emma would run to Lily's bed. Emma had done everything she could think of to reassure her wife, but in the end, Regina had to trust her.

She trusted Emma. Emma had never given her any reason not to. She was always honest with her and understood any insecurities she might have. Likewise, Regina provided the same comfort for Emma. She knew her wife had insecurities from the life she had lived. It's like they were made for each other. She knew that their little makeshift family was a bit crazy, but she couldn't help but appreciate it. Daniel got her out from under her mother hold, then he cheated on her with Camille, which led her to Emma. It was insane, but it felt like it was all meant to happen.

She was happy. Henry had three mommies and a daddy and he loved it. She had Emma and she was glad that Daniel was happy as well. It was crazy…but it was their life. She honestly couldn't imagine her life any other way. Emma had decided to settle down and apply for the police academy. Now she worked as a deputy, hoping to work her way up to detective. Regina's practice was thriving. Her life was perfect. It was just right for her.

They were even talking about adopting a child together or possibly becoming foster parents in the hopes of giving some children a better foster care experience than Emma herself had. They still had lots to discuss and hoops to jump through, but she knew that things would work out the way they are meant to and she knew she could handle it all with Emma and their eccentric family.

**Can't you see that I am yours?  
So will you be my life support?  
You're my life support  
You're my life support  
You're my life support  
You're my life support**


End file.
